Samurai
by ChilliLemons
Summary: He never thought he'd fall in love with a samurai. She never thought she'd fall in love with a tensai. But he did, and so did she. FujiOC Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of tennis or the Young Samurai series. I only own my OCs.
1. Chapter 1

**Prince of Tennis does not belong to me. I only own all the OCs in this story. The story is a slight crossover with Chris Bradford's 'Young Samurai' series. I don't own that either. **

As soon as she walked into the class, the blare of the chatter quickly hushed, replaced by whispers and low, excited murmurs. Every eye swung around and fixed itself on Emi as she entered, looked around for a moment, saw the only empty seat in the class, moved over and placed her bag there.

Then the murmuring completely died down, though a few people still had their eyes glued to her, when the teacher entered.

"Is Hasegawa Emi here?" Shino-sensei asked, looking around for the girl in question. Once more, the spotlight was on Emi as she stood, all thirty-five pairs of eyes on her.

"Ah, Hasegawa-san. Would you mind introducing yourself to the class?"

"Hai." Her voice was quiet and level, and obviously feminine. "My name is Hasegawa Emi. I have moved here from Kyoto to study at this school. It is very nice to meet all of you." She bowed formally, and sat down again.

"Arigato, Hasegawa-san. Fuji-kun, would you guide her around till she can manage on her own?"

Fuji looked at his new seating partner, then at sensei. "Hai, sensei. I will."

Emi looked at her 'guide' out of the corner of her eye. A boy, or so she thought. His very feminine looks apart, she couldn't really decide if his voice was masculine or otherwise. But sensei had called him 'Fuji-kun', so he was a boy, she supposed. His name was Fuji-san, apparently.

"Hasegawa-san?" A soft voice broke into her thoughts, startling her.

'_As a samurai, always be on your guard. But if you let your guard down, and are taken by surprise, never give yourself away.'_

Emi coolly turned in the direction of the voice. "Fuji-san?" If she noticed the smile that curved his eyes into crescents, she gave no sign of it.

"We have Japanese History first. The teacher is Nakahara-sensei."

She inclined her head. "Arigato." She said, reaching into her bag for the textbook. As she did so, she felt a sudden sting at the side of her palm. Wordlessly, she snatched her hand out of the bag and stared at the bleeding palm.

Her eyes narrowed, and she pulled open the bag. There, shining against the dark interiors, was a knife, a _tanto_, with a series of kanji characters on the flat of its blade.

'_Will you never be satisfied without blood, Kunitome?'_

Cursing the ancient mad swordsmith whose blade she kept (without her family's knowledge) in her mind, Emi placed the book on the table and tried to conceal the blood from her seat-mate. It didn't work.

Fuji's eyes snapped open on beholding the thin bloody line. "Hasegawa-san, how did you cut yourself?" He asked. Emi barely managed to suppress a grimace as she turned to face him.

She met his eyes, and immediately flinched and looked away. "I cut myself with the blade I left in my bag." He did not need to know it was a _tanto. _

"It hurts." He said, misinterpreting her flinch. She shook her head. "No, it does not. Please do not worry, Fuji-san."

Fuji studied her as she turned away, already intrigued. Was she always so formal, or was it just natural shyness? Her speech had a very tangible formality to it.

Emi sat very erect in her chair. It was sheer force of habit, more then anything else, that compelled her to listen so carefully to the teacher. She knew much more than just the contents of the textbook; the children of their family were schooled in the entire history of Japan, and she was no exception.

Uncharacteristically, she allowed her mind to wander freely, thinking about how she liked this new school, as compared to her previous samurai school in Kyoto, the _Kikuchi Ryu_, headed by the formidable Kikuchi-sama. The skills taught in the _Kikuchi Ryu_ were the same as those taught in its mother school and inspiration- the _Niten Ichi Ryu_ of seventeenth-century Japan.

"Hasegawa-san?"

Emi had to stifle a sigh. In Kyoto, it had always been 'Emi-chan'. 'Hasegawa-san' was for her father. "Hai?"

"Which Emperor was deified as Hachiman, and to which period of Emperors did he belong?"

"Emperor Ojin, who belonged to the Kofun period." Emi answered mechanically. It was like an instinct for her- If it was Hachiman, it was Ojin.

"Very good. Give me the years of the beginning and end of his reign…" Nakahara-sensei's hawk-like eyes scanned the classroom for any sign of wandering attention; and landed on the obvious.

"Kikumaru-kun?"

"Nya!" The class giggled as a certain redheaded male started violently, and in the process let out what sounded halfway between a squawk and a mew. Emi raised her eyebrows at the odd sound.

Fuji leaned forward and whispered, much to his seatmate's chagrin, "270-310 AD, Emperor Ojin's reign."

Emi's eyes narrowed in distaste. _'Dishonest…'_

'Kikumaru-kun' straightened up and looked at Nakahara-sensei. "Hai sensei! Emperor Ojin reigned from 310 to 270 AD!"

There was a split-second of silence, followed by uproarious laughter. Emi's lips curved into the slightest of smiles.

"Kikumaru-kun, do people live backwards?" The teacher's voice was cuttingly sarcastic.

"Iie, desu…" Kikumaru looked down embarrassedly. "Gomen nasai, nya…"

"Clean the classroom after school." Sensei's voice brooked no argument. "Homework: provide a summary of at least two pages on the reign of the last Legendary Emperors, Emperor Chuai and Empress Jingu, and the rise of the Emperor Ojin, to be submitted next class on Wednesday. Arigato gozaimasu." With a last steely glare at Kikumaru, Nakahara-sensei swept from the room.

"Fujiko, nya!" Kikumaru wailed as he shook a slightly startled Fuji. "Nakahara-sensei's so mean! Buchou is going to kill me, nya!" Then his gaze landed on Emi, and immediately his teeth showed in a blinding grin.

"Yoroshiku, Hasegawa-chan! Ore no namae wa Kikumaru Eiji desu!" He said, thrusting out his hand enthusiastically. Emi raised her eyebrows by a fraction before she rose and bowed. "Arigato, Kikumaru-san. Hajimemashite."

He looked slightly thrown by her formality. "Nya… everyone calls me Eiji... so-"

Fuji glanced at Emi, and was surprised to see a shade of discomfort. He stood up. "We have P.E. now, Hasegawa-san. Shall we?"

Emi rose again and nodded wordlessly. She followed Fuji outside, leaving Eiji behind. "Saa, Hasegawa-san, if you're not too offended, can I ask you why you're so formal?" Fuji asked.

She looked at him for a second, as if deciding whether or not to answer. Then she replied, "I'm a samurai, Fuji-san."

Fuji's jaw nearly dropped. _'A samurai? Is she serious?'_

That's when Emi's fate was decided. Because Fuji Syusuke found her an extremely interesting subject for study.

**Review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Samurai ch2**

The thing about being a tensai was that Fuji could multi-task almost effortlessly: he could annoy Tezuka, terrify Eiji, stun his teammates, play tennis and take a photograph all at the same time, and do them all flawlessly. At least, he was pretty sure he could (And when Fuji's 'pretty sure', he definitely can).

And it was this ability to multi-task that let him play a match against Eiji (and dominate throughout), all the while keeping an eye on the girls' P.E. session. More specifically, on Hasegawa Emi.

Most of the girls were good at the exercises being performed- flexible and quick, but really, she stood out.

'_Flawless, really.'_ He thought, watching her even as he executed as perfect Higuma Otoshi, winning the point. _'Her movements are incredibly smooth.'_

"Mou, Fujiko!" Eiji whined as he missed yet another shot. The rest of the guys let out 'Sugoi's and "Kakkoi's intermittently, which Fuji was pretty much used to.

He finally tore his eyes away from the new girl and focused completely on the game. Man, don't you feel sorry for Eiji?

Two weeks into her time at Seigaku, Emi found Fuji Syusuke an interesting person, alternately sweet and sadistic, serious and playful. As his seating partner, she was privileged to observe the way he interacted with his teammates- usually Kikumaru Eiji, Oishi Syuchiroh and Kawamura Takashi. Eiji she found a little tiring, with his bouncy, energetic disposition. But Oishi's caring attitude and Kawamura's shy friendliness were things she liked, and of course, no one could deny that every member of the team was supremely talented.

"Hasegawa-san, you haven't met Tezuka yet, ne?" Fuji asked as they exited class together. "He's a bit like you."

"Like me?" Emi asked. Fuji nodded. "Hai. The same determination, focus, seriousness… in some ways, just like you."

"Sou ka…" Then she noticed that he wasn't going towards the tennis courts as usual. "Fuji-san, don't you have practice?"

"Oh, no, not today. Tezuka wanted to discuss something with Ryuuzaki-sensei, but I suppose he'll be done by now. You don't have kendo either?"

"Iie. Miyazaki-san and Hattori-san have a competition in which they must participate."

"I see."

They walked on in silence, both deep in thought.

"Ne, Hasegawa-san, where are you from?" Fuji asked curiously. "From Kyoto. I studied in a samurai school there, _Kikuchi Ryu_."

"Hasegawa-san, are you really a samurai?" Fuji asked. She stopped and stared at him. "Are you saying that I lied?" She asked coolly.

He felt he had offended her, but went on nevertheless. "Gomen nasai, Hasegawa-san, but really, look it this way. A _samurai_, in today's world? Most people would find it a little hard to believe."

"As you do" Emi said. Her voice was sharp, biting, and he inwardly flinched. "Sumimasen, Fuji-san, but I am in a hurry. Mata ashita." She gave him a quick, stiff bow and turned to leave.

Fuji sighed mentally. Samurai or not, she was a woman. Touchy.

Emi joined the kendo club at school. She enjoyed herself after a fashion, but it wasn't as rigorous as what she had been used to under her father or Kikuchi-sama.

"Ne, Hasegawa-san," The club captain, Ayame, asked her. "How _do_ you have so much stamina?"

They exited the clubhouse together. "My previous school is a samurai school. We practised a lot, Tamazaki-san."

"Ah, sou desu ka… you're indeed very skilful in kendo, Hasegawa-san!"

"Arigato. You are as well, as you must be to be appointed buchou."

They walked on in silence. Emi let no one get too friendly with her, too familiar. It wasn't fear; simply inclination and habit.

"Ayame-chan? Hasegawa-san?" A familiar voice cut through the gathering gloom.

"Eiji-kun?" Ayame called in reply.

It was indeed the redhead. His smiling face became clearer as he strode toward them, accompanied by Fuji.

"Hoi hoi!" He greeted them happily.

"Konbanwa." The girls chorused. "Ne, doesn't your practice end much earlier?" Ayame asked.

"Hai, but now because of the Kantou Tournament we're practising till we can't see the ball." Fuji explained. His eyes flickered to Emi, who strode silently by Ayame's side.

"Tezuka-kun is _such_ a slave-driver, ne?" Ayame chuckled. Eiji nodded vigorously. "He is so, nya! Mou, he gave me laps for just _talking _to Fujiko! _Talking_!"

Ayame's laugh cut through the heavy silence and invaded the tranquility of Emi's mind. She flinched. Fuji glanced quickly at her.

"Sumimasen," She said. "But I must hurry home. Oyasuminasai." She bowed briefly to all three of them, and began to walk faster.

"Chotto matte, Hasegawa-san!" Fuji called. "Ja ne, Ayame-san, Eiji." He hurried after her, without a backward glance.

"Ja, nya!"

"Oyasuminasai, Fuji-kun!" Ayame replied. "He's practically _chasing_ after her, ne Eiji-kun?"

Eiji nodded, looking rather perplexed. "I wonder if he's realized his house is this way, nya?" He said as they turned a corner.

"Hasegawa-san!" Emi turned to see Fuji hurrying after her. "Fuji-san?" She enquired politely, wondering if he had followed her. "Don't you live near Kikumaru-san's house?"

"I need to visit the drugstore to buy something for my sister." Fuji lied smoothly. "And since you were coming this way…"

"Sou ka?"

"You left rather abruptly, ne?" He said, covertly watching her for any crack in the mask.

She knew his eyes were on her, but failed to understand it. "Tamazaki-san's laugh… unfortunately, it intruded into my mind and destroyed my _wa_."

As far as Fuji could distinguish, this was the truth. "_'Wa'_?" He asked.

"Peace. Peace of mind. Tranquility, if you will." She replied, looking straight ahead. "The state of mind when it is relaxed, in control. When _wa_ is achieved, you are master of the situation, no matter what it is. You are master of yourself."

Fuji glanced at her as they passed under a street lamp. She looked eerie in the fluorescent light, like a sculpted statue depicting a typical Japanese beauty. Beautiful, regal- but untouchable.

'_Wait-what was that?'_ He caught himself. Quickly averting his eyes, he looked straight ahead and saw the drugstore. "Saa, mata ashita, Hasegawa-san." He said in a low voice. "And… please forgive my doubting you the other day. It was wrong."

"It was nothing. Please forget about it." She said, bowing to him. "Oyasuminasai, Fuji-san." She said, turning a corner and vanishing into the darkness.

Fuji walked on, taking different turns here and there. _'There- under the street light- what was that? Why did her beauty suddenly strike me?'_

He looked up and found himself in front of his home. _'Saa, I didn't realize I knew this area as well as that.'_ He thought, smiling to himself as he climbed the steps.

"Tadaima!"

**How was it? Do review!**

**Love,**

**Kiza.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Alright, I thought I'd give a little more Emi-ness, because I need to know more about her.**

**So, here goes…**

"Straighten your back, Emi-chan!" Takumi ordered, drilling one finger inexorably into the small of her back. "Chin up!"

Emi raised her chin, squaring her shoulders. "Hai, onii-sama."

The naked katana's clean curve seemed to mock her faulty stance. She gritted her teeth.

The eldest son of Hasegawa Junnosuke walked around his sister, correcting her posture. "Elbows up, imouto- strong and firm- hai. Let strength enter every limb- strength is not only in movement, it is in immobility as well."

"Hai!"

"Ii da. Saa," Takumi took up his swords and fell effortlessly into his own battle stance, "We duel." 

She raised her katana and brought it down at his head, and stabbed at his chest with the wakizashi at the same time, both with deadly speed and accuracy. If Takumi had not been, well, _Takumi_, he would fallen with a cloven skull and/or a pierced heart. He dodged the slice of the katana by leaping back and at the same time parried the wakizashi with consummate skill. Then he struck out, driving her backwards with a blinding series of thrusts and cuts. But she was equal to them, and he could not but glow with pride at her proficiency.

Her blades whirled over her head, momentarily invisible, till she brought the wakizashi down hard on his katana. His eyes widened and he moved it aside, barely missing her wakizashi as it fell, aimed for the same target again. _The Autumn Leaf Strike_.

"When did _you_ master the Two Heavens?" He cried, lashing out at her again. "I never saw you practise it!"

"That does not mean I did not, does it, onii-sama?" She yelled over the clashing of the blades. Before he could react, she had repeated the technique; this time, his katana fell ringing to the dojo floor.

There was no time to gape, since she went for his wakizashi almost at once. He sighed mentally; who would have thought his little sister would leave him no choice but to resort to desperate measures?

He approached her warily, avoiding her flying blades and keeping an eye out for any further Autumn Leaf Strikes. When her katana and wakizashi were within a comfortable distance of each other, he swooped.

Emi only felt something hit both her blades- _twice_- and looked down at her empty hands. She gasped. "A _double_ Autumn Leaf Strike?"

"Indeed. Well fought, imouto."

They bowed to each other and collected their swords.

They sat on the floor, facing each other. Takumi studied his sister's face thoughtfully. "When did otou-sama teach you the Two Heavens?" He asked after a while.

"Months ago. It took me a very long time to master the Autumn Leaf Strike. I find the Flint and Spark Strike easier. You never saw me practise because I did so when you were absent from the house."

"Eh? Demo nande?"

"I couldn't have borne it if you had seen those pathetic first attempts. I was terrible."

"Imouto, even otou-sama took a very long time to achieve such perfection at the Two Heavens. It would not have been shameful." Takumi said gently.

"That was why I asked only otou-sama to oversee my practices. You… you mastered the technique after only a month." She said.

"It is different for every samurai, Emi-chan."

"I know. Forgive me if I have offended you, onii-sama." She bent her head in a gesture of apology.

"It was not an offence, imouto. Demo, please do not feel any reserve with your aniki in future." He said. She nodded and stood up. "Sumimasen, onii-sama. I have much work. Domo arigato usheimashita." She bowed again and left the dojo, walking in the direction of the house.

Takumi remained where he was. _'Nobody would believe Emi is only fourteen. She is extremely serious, always. That is not a bad thing, but that does not necessarily mean it is good, either. I wish there were some way I could help her act… her age.'_

He rose, placed his swords in a corner of the dojo, and strode towards the house.

"Konbanwa, otou-sama." Emi greeted her father as she passed through the sitting room.

"Konbanwa, Emi-chan." Junnosuke said. He was a tall man, austere in countenance and habit, highly cultured and a strict disciplinarian. "Come here."

Emi sat down opposite him on the tatami mat. She placed her hands on her lap and gazed at him. Junnosuke looked at her piercingly.

"I saw you practising with Takumi-kun. You seem to have mastered the Two Heavens, ne?"

"I think not, otou-sama." She replied. Her father shook his head. "I know a perfected technique when I see one, and the Autumn Leaf Strike was perfection itself. The Flint and Spark Strike you can execute well, I know." He paused and peered at her. "Saa, Emi-chan, I can see no reason why you should not take part in the _Samurai Tournament_ this year. Takumi-kun will also be participating."

Emi gasped, her face paling. "Demo, otou-sama, am I good enough?" Her hands trembled.

Junnosuke rose and put a hand on his daughter's shoulder. His face crinkled into a rare smile. "Musume yo," He said. "Your skills are a credit to our ancient family."

A rosy flush crept up Emi's face and neck, and a grateful smile curved her mouth. Compliments from her father were few and far between. "Arigato gozaimasu, otou-sama." She bowed deeply.

It really didn't take very long to finish her homework; there was still some time to practise kyujutsu or kenjutsu, but Emi felt reluctant to do so.

She changed into a simple t-shirt and jeans (yes, she did wear 'normal' clothes) and went downstairs. Her mother was there, preparing dinner. "Konbanwa, Emi-chan." She greeted her, smiling.

"Konbanwa, okaa-sama." Emi replied, feeling plain, as always, in her mother's presence. Hasegawa Kiku, nee Nakamura, even now, closing in on forty, was devastatingly beautiful. Perhaps the most popular geisha of her generation, she had married at the peak of her career, and left the karyukai forever, much to the distress of her regular patrons and the mistress of her okiya.

Relatives said that her only daughter had inherited her beauty, but Emi knew better.

"I'm going out for a while, okaa-sama. I will be back before dinner." She said. "Ittekimasu."

"Itterasshai!" Kiku called after her.

After wandering around the streets for about a quarter of an hour, Emi started to regret ever coming out. There was nothing to _do_, all alone. Sighing, she turned homewards.

"Hoi hoi, Hasegawa-san!" She found herself face to face with none other than Kikumaru Eiji. "Konnichiwa, Kikumaru-san." She said, resigning herself to absolute exhaustion.

"Nya, you look tired." Kikumaru said. "I am, actually. I came out for a walk." She replied.

He grinned. "Let's walk, then!" He fell into step beside her. "Did you finish your math homework?" He asked.

"Hai. What about you?" She said. He pouted. "I can't understand it at all, nya!"

"I can help you tomorrow during break, if you want, Kikumaru-san." Emi offered. He looked surprised. "Hoi?"

"Or… it's alright. If you'd rather ask Fuji-san-" He cut her off with a big hug, shocking her into silence. "Yay! Hasegawa-chan's going to help me in math, nya! You're the best, Hasegawa-chan!" He exclaimed, almost crushing her ribs in his excitement.

At first, she _was_ shocked at his behaviour. But slowly, she smiled to herself. This was how he really was, ne? And he, at least, refused to hide behind a façade, or be untrue to his real self, unlike some people.

Cerulean eyes flashed into her mind. She shook it off; who was she to condemn Fuji Syusuke for apparently hiding his true personality behind a mask? And really, even if she _had _the right to condemn him, why should she? Who were she and Fuji Syusuke to each other?

"I can't help you if you accidentally break my ribs, Kikumaru-san." She said, mildly. He instantly loosened his vice-like grip and stepped away from her. "Ah, gomen nya!" He said, laughing and rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. The sight of such a refreshingly real person warmed Emi.

"Nya, Hasegawa-chan," The hesitation in Kikumaru's voice was palpable, and surprising. "I always felt… that you didn't like me at all, you know?"

"Ara?" This was completely unexpected. "Demo, nande?"

"Nyaaa… because you never _smiled_ at me at all!" He cried, lapsing back into his old childish manner. But what he said inadvertently cut Emi to the heart.

'_I never smiled at him at all… was I that cold? _Am_ I that cold?'_ She wondered, shaken. "Gomen nasai, Kikumaru-san. I _am_ reserved, I suppose, but I have been too reserved to you… too cold. I owe you an apology."

He gulped. "Iie, Hasegawa-chan, it's nothing, it's nothing!" He said, waving his hands. "It was just a fleeting thought, nya! It's alright!"

She smiled inwardly a little sadly. _'If only I could have retained the same blissfully childlike outlook. I seem to have aged too soon.'_

His next words threw her off-balance. "If anyone's seriously affected by you, it's Fujiko, nya!" His voice was cheery and guileless, but she still blushed lightly. "Fuji…san?"

"Not in a bad way, but he finds you really interesting and he's driven nuts by the fact that you never open up! You're like a castle he wants to explore but can't find the gate to, nya!" Emi privately marveled at his ability to rattle off long sentences in a single breath. But what was he saying?

"Interesting?" She echoed, not quite understanding.

"He's a tensai ne? I suppose life gets boring sometimes so he likes to observe people and find out about them… but you're horribly tough to observe!" At the last bit he pouted. Emi smiled a little. "I wonder how he can find life boring in your presence, Kikumaru-san." She remarked. He beamed.

"Saa, this is my house. I'll see you tomorrow after practice, at seven, in class, ne?" He nodded vigorously. "Don't be late. Oyasuminasai!" She bowed to him and disappeared inside the house.

Kikumaru walked home alone, thinking of Hasegawa-chan. _'I guess she's quite nice, nya… but she can be quite scary sometimes. But why's Fujiko obsessed with' deciphering her character', nya? Fujiko has always been a little- oh, there's nee-chan going to the market! Great, now I can ask her to buy me toothpaste! Hoi hoi!'_

"HOI HOI! NEE-CHAN!"

**Japanese words you may not know:**

'**Demo nande?'- 'But why?'**

'**Domo arigato usheimashita'- 'Thank you for teaching me.' Martial artists (at least, in karate) say this to the sensei when the lesson ends.**

'**Musume yo'- 'My daughter'. A form of direct address.**

'**geisha'- Japanese female entertainers who are well-versed in traditional forms of dance and music**

'**Karyukai'- 'The Flower and Willow World'. 'Flowers' referred to courtesans, who entertained the clients sexually before their trade was banned, who were delicate, beautiful and graceful. The geisha were 'Willows', an allusion to their subtlety, beauty and strength.**

'**Okiya'- The house in which a geisha lives during her career.**

**Review!**

**Love, **

**Kiza.**


End file.
